Last night 2000 people gathered for a candlelight vigil in San Francisco to mourn the passing of Proposition 8. Yesterday was a bittersweet day for many.

I was heartened by the perspective of Kate Kendall the executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights. She reminds us all of the progress we have made in the fight for equal civil rights for gays. She reminds us of Proposition 22 in 2000 that prevented the state from recognizing same sex marriages, which passed with 61.4% approval. There are many gains to be recognized when looking at the slim margin that Proposition 8 won by this week.

Let’s not forget the cornerstone of President-elect Obama’s campaign: Hope. There is a lot of sadness, and that is important and true, but we won’t be able to continue our fight for equal human and civil rights for all without maintaining our faith and our hope. Let’s keep fighting.